White Sox to have "open competition" for last two rotation spots

After having to scrounge together innings last season, the White Sox signed left-handers Sean Newcomb and Anthony Kay this offseason to supplement their young pitching staff. Neither are splashy signings, but they provide insurance to a Sox staff that threw the fewest innings in the sport.

In fact, Newcomb, who signed a two-year, $4.5-million contract, was attracted to the Sox because of the opportunity to “eat up innings.” Newcomb, a nine-year MLB veteran, said that even though he hasn’t started more than five games in a season since 2018, he’s still carried a “starter’s mentality” because of his propensity for long outings out of the bullpen.

He’ll bring a veteran presence to the staff that is short on experienced arms.

“I feel like, at 32, I still feel young in the game," he said. "But then looking at the [Sox] roster, I was like, ‘Wow, I’m probably going to be one of the older dudes once spring comes around.'"

Newcomb already has ties to the Sox. He crossed paths with senior advisor to pitching Brian Bannister in 2023 when Newcomb was in the Giants’ minor-league system. Newcomb said, “It'll be good to have someone you've had some success with.” Newcomb said that Bannister was the coach who helped him figure out his sinker, which helped lead him to a slider.

Newcob, a Massachusetts native, posted a 1.75 ERA after May 29, the seventh-best mark among relievers. The Sox hope that Newcomb pitches well enough to assume a starting spot, filling the spot vacated by Martin Perez after he declined his end of a mutual option.

“I think that [Newcomb], having been successful in different ways, can help our players, which is something that we’ll look to him to take a little bit of that role,” Venable said.

Newcomb becomes another piece to the Sox’ starting pitching puzzle, which is littered with unknowns after Martin, Kay and Smith. Venable said that Newcomb will compete for a starting role, likely alongside right-handers Sean Burke (4.22 ERA) and Jonathan Cannon (5.82), who each began the season in the majors before having stints in the minors after some rough outings.

“[We’re] really excited about creating some healthy competition amongst the guys and seeing who can go out and go grab it,” Venable said. “At the same time, knowing that we're going to have these guys be flexible and pitch in a number of different ways.

"But as far as what the actual names in the rotation will look like, we're obviously a long way away from that and really want to have it be an open competition and have these guys go earn it."

After the Sox signed Japanese star Munetaka Murakami to a two-year, $34 million contract, the rotation was the last thing that GM Chris Getz needed to address with the team. These aren't splashes, but they provide depth to a Sox organization that is light on starting pitching depth.

The starting competition could include right-hander Jedixson Paez from the Red Sox in the Rule 5 draft. But given his inexperience and the fact that he hasn’t pitched above High-A, Paez isn’t someone who will be penciled in as a starter as the team acclimates him slowly to the majors.

Another option is left-hander Chris Murphy, whom the team acquired from the Red Sox earlier this offseason. Murphy posted a 3.12 ERA last season in 23 appearances out of the bullpen.

Getting better performances from the rotation is one aveneur for the Sox to improve upon their 28-37 record in the second half of last season. Though there's no guarantee that their young players progress on a linear path — as the Sox saw in the cases of Burke, Cannon and prospects Hagen Smith and Noah Schultz.

"Any team can flip the switch any year,” Newcomb said. “Whether you have a huge lead in the division or not, it's just a matter of going out and keeping everything, mentally, just even-keel –– no matter the position you're in.

“When I got to Oakland last year, I think they were on a 1-19 run, and that was kind of you either keep letting that get on you, or you just show up one day, and it changes. You gotta just go [get] one out at a time regardless of the situation."